Terrified
by eskalations
Summary: The journey from the tower back to the kingdom wasn't going to be an easy one, Eugene feared the worst while Rapunzel could only hope for the best. How the trust we see at the end really got there and how they realized they were meant to be together.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: May add on to this but I'm not sure. Please make sure to read and review and if you enjoy it please go take a look at my other "Tangled" stories.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tangled" or it's characters...they belong to Disney.

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><p>For one terrible moment she had been alone, whether it was seconds or minutes or hours she didn't know but the numbing feeling settling in her stomach had been all too real.<p>

When he had opened his eyes and spoke her name, she had to ask if it was him. Rapunzel believed she was dreaming and at any moment reality would set in and she would be awake.

But her imagination was not vast enough to imagine the first words to leave Eugene Fitzherbert when he re-enetered the land of the living.

"Did I ever tell you I've got a thing of brunettes?"  
>Rapunzel was not dreaming and this was Eugene, her Eugene, the one that had hopped through that window two days ago seeking for a hideout and re-entered it earlier to ensure her safety. She did the one thing her mind was capable of doing at a time like this.<p>

She laughed for the numbness that had been setting in quickly turned to happiness as butterflies filled her stomach.  
>Wanting to keep him close to her and make sure he wouldn't leave anytime soon, the small girl launched herself into his arms as he slowly picked himself up a bit disbelieving. Rapunzel felt him grip onto her tighter after the initial shock wore off.<p>

Letting go of him but still grasping his vest she broke off the hug wanting to just look into those honey eyes of his. When emerald met hazel both wore an expression of happiness and that in itself made Rapunzel giggle and without thinking she locked her lips with his.

After he registered what was going on, Eugene gladly returned the kiss running his rough hands through the girl's now short, spikey brunette hair.

Pulling back from the kiss, Rapunzel realized that she was now softly crying.

"Oh sorry!" She quickly picked herself up realizing that Eugene was still chained to the staircase. Walking carefully across the cold tiled floor she located the key that had fallen from Gothel's cloak when she had aged.

The girl with tears still falling quietly down her face grasped the small object and walked back over to Eugene who by now had a concerned look on his face.

Sitting carefully on the floor that was still littered with glass,  
>Rapunzel swiftly put the key in the lock and turned it until she heard the resounding click.<p>

Eugene rubbed his wrist, which had become red, while he tried to figure the past few minutes out, how they had ever been possible. That's when he heard the object of his affection starting to sob.

"Hey Rapunzel, it's ok," That was the only thing he could offer as he gently tucked the girl underneath his arm and awkwardly tried to comfort her. This was all new to him, the affection and caring part of it.

"Eugene she fell from the window, and I couldn't save her! Then I turned around and you were dying on the floor after you cut my hair!  
>How could you...How could you be so stupid? I can't believe that you would leave me alone again...and...and," Rapunzel was mumbling and sobbing at the same time and quite frankly her companion was having trouble keeping up. He had experienced her almost bipolar like behavior a few days before when she first left her tower and as he watched her face change emotions quickly he soon realized this girl was only feeling one of those emotions and just not showing it.<p>

She was scared.

For just a minute, Rapunzel had been left in the world alone. A world that she hadn't even known about until two days prior. The scary feeling of being forced into a world you couldn't handle was all too real to Eugene for that had been him years ago when the orphanage forced him out. But he knew about reality, he knew that life wasn't all sunshine and magic, he knew about death and loss. Rapunzel well, now she did.

"Blondie calm down!" Eugene gripped her chin forcing her to lift her eyes to meet his. The emerald orbs usually filled with joy were dull now as she whispered the true reason behind her tears.

"You were dead, you died in my lap, I was alone," Rapunzel whispered as he felt his heart reach a near breaking point. Never before had a girl had this kind of affect on him. Those emerald orbs again filled with tears as she wrapped her hands tightly around his arms making her small knuckles turn white.

"Rapunzel I'm not anymore, in fact why am I not?" This set off another round of tears and Eugene mentally kicked himself for being so inconsiderate.

"I sang and then there was light, and I guess I had a little of the magic left in me," The response was quiet but the man didn't question it as he gently strokes the girl's hair.

For a few minutes both sat in silence, Rapunzel starting to quiet a bit and Eugene pondering what they were going to do next. Guards would be searching the forest for him far and wide, he needed to get himself and Rapunzel away from them as quickly as possible.

"Eugene I'm was scared," The small voice broke him from his thoughts as he looked at her tear stained face. His heart again clenched and he wanted to chase away whatever fears she had, that scared him.

"I'm scared too, Blondie," She looked up at him with questioning eyes and Eugene realized that he had said what he was thinking aloud,  
>this scared him even more.<p>

"What about?" The girl questioned as the ex-bandit tried to think of a good answer, but when those emerald eyes fixed on his Eugene realized that he wouldn't be able to lie to her, ever.

"You, I've never risked everything before for anyone except you and it scares me that you have such a hold on me," Flynn Rider would have laughed at the sappy emotion in his voice but all Rapunzel did was smile up at him.

"You scare me too Eugene because I feel the exact same way," That was a relief, and soon his body relaxed though his back was starting to hurt from leaning against the stairwell and supporting the small girl's weight and his.

"Well...what's our next move? I guess we should probably head out considering the whole kingdom is probably looking for me and I guess you should probably grab the frog..." Eugene began to make a mental list of what they would have to bring on their next expedition, but soon he quieted as he saw the look on Rapunzel's face.

She let go of his arm and slowly sat so that she was facing him instead of sitting beside him. Playing with the ends of her purple dress, the girl contemplated how to tell Eugene the news of who her parent's really were.

"Eugene...there's something that I need to tell you," As Rapunzel told Eugene of her discovery his hazel eys grew wider and wider and he feared that this would be considered freaking out.

Eugene Fitzherbert thought he was scared before, but now knowing who his girl's real parents were, oh now he was absolutely terrified.

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><p>AN#2: You have no idea how happy it makes me to get reviews:)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N#1: I decided to continue you this because I honestly I was always curious what happened from the time of the tower to the returning to the castle. This is my take of what happened, I wanted the relationship to grow between Rapunzel and Eugene because they really only spent three days together and I kinda wanted them to know more about one another. I always pictured them having another conversation in the woods because in the balcony scene before the king and queen come out their grasping hands as if holding on to reality, I just wanted to experiment with how it all came to that. Ok I'm going to shut up now:) Expect an update very soon.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tangled" or the characters, they all belong to Disney.

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><p>The fire crackled loudly while Eugene's hazel eyes held a far off look, gazing into the dancing flames. The night around him was eerily silent and it was quite unnerving especially after the events of that day.<p>

He was in the middle of the forest with the lost princess. The one that they set lanterns off every year to ensure her a safe journey home. To guide her home. He had been her guide, but so had the lanterns.

Lifting his tanned hand the man rubbed his eyes tiredly fighting the urge to close them as the fear of never being opened again came to mind. This all seemed too good to be true, the last two days seemed like a dream, or was it three?

Looking down the log, he saw that Rapunzel's head was gently propped against it with her hands drawn daintly to her sides. The look of discomfort on the young princesses face was probably due to the fact she no longer had a soft pillow of golden blonde hair, now all that was atop her head was spikey brown tendrils.

Sighing, Eugene turned his face away from her's knowing that if he hadn't cut her seventy feet of hair that look wouldn't be on her face. He had been dying and he wasn't thinking clearly, but he could see whenever she talked to him how her face fell when she would grab at air near her ear instead of her magic hair.

After the girl had stopped crying, and had told Eugene who her real parents are she somehow had convinced him to take her back to the kingdom. The scary thing of the whole thing was that all it took was a puppy dog look from underneath those long lashes of hers and a sad look in those beautiful emerald eyes.

Flynn Rider's smolder being used against him, who would have thought that would ever happen?

Getting Blondie out of the tower though had been harder then the young man expected. The girl had walked upstairs to her room to grab a few things and came down nearly an hour later gripping a small brown basket full of paints and brushes,  
>tears streaming down her face. Rapunzel didn't say a word though not until he opened the hatch to the stairs that led to the foot of the tower.<p>

"Can we use my hair?" The quiet voice broke Eugene from his thoughts as he turned to the petite girl. Her hands grasped onto the basket tightly and her eyes were downcast, her face was almost hidden beneath her beautiful brown locks.

"Sure," Eugene realized the source of her request, she didn't want to leave the tower the same way that she was about to be taken away from him forever with a women who kidnapped her for the girl's hair.

After tying the hair around the owning on the window of the tower, Eugene looked back at the girl who was hesitantly watching him, her green eyes questioning her companion.

"Hop on Blondie," He flashed her a gentle smile and she timidly walked closer to him, reaching her thin arms around his neck and holding on tightly.

Eugene grasped onto the now brunette locks that had just a few hours ago been attached to the girl that was holding onto him tightly, depending on him, and they slowly made their way to the base of the tower.

When they reached the ground, Eugene let go of the hair and brought his hands up to his neck where the lost princess's arms still held a tight grip on him.

"Ok Blondie we are safely on the ground it's time to go," But the girl didn't respond she just buried her face farther into his neck, the man felt her eyelashes soft as a butterflies wings flutter on his skin.

"Please Eugene, I don't want to see...to see the..." Rapunzel sighed frusterated that she couldn't say anything without feeling the need to cry, it was quite exasperating for a girl that usually held such a bright happiness.

The young man didn't quite understand until he spotted the cloak that lay on the ground right beside where they stood. In silent agreement, Eugene somehow shifted Rapunzel from his back to his arms craddling her gently against his chest.

"It's ok Rapunzel, we're leaving," The gentle tone of voice he used surprised him, but it seemed to comfort the distraught brunette in his arms as she rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes with a sigh.

Maximus had been laying down in the grass, resting after such a tiring run when he saw Eugene with a strange girl in his arms that looked like Rapunzel yet she had brown hair. Her pale hands craddled a small brown basket and he saw the brown eyes of her little cameleon pearing out over it with a sad look in his usually vibrant eyes.

"We will tell you everything later Max but right now I believe we should begin our journey to return the lost princess," Max's eyes widened but Eugene offered no more of an explanation, wanting to leave this place where he just a few hours ago had died. Carefully he placed Rapunzel in the saddle steading her and then jumping on right behind her grabbing onto the reigns.

Rapunzel's sad green eyes looked over his shoulders and she couldn't hide the tears that escaped when she got her last glimpse of the tower.

"Come on Blondie, lets get you home," Eugene gently kicked Max in the sides with his brown boots and the horse started to walk forward, their movements all like those of a funeral prosession.

With her face forward again, Rapunzel leaned back and held tightly to the arms of her Eugene.

They had made it quite away until they had to camp outside the city, the sky had grown dark but Eugene preferred walking into the castle tomorrow, that way if he were to be hanged he would have had one more day with Rapunzel.

Building a fire and setting a log beside it, the two sat and stared at the fire for hours, both feared the nightmares that were sure to come. The usually bubbly girl sat quietly, occasionally she would play with the ends of her hair and would sometimes speak quietly to either Pascal or Eugene but other then that she remained silent.

Eventually she had been lulled into sleep by the sounds of the night, leaving Eugene alone in the silence aside from the princess's gentle breaths and the snores coming from Max and Pascal.

But the silence was broken by the sounds of screams and the movements resembling those of thrashing.

Rapunzel was having a nightmare.

"Please...Please...I-I don't want him to die! Please!" Eugene quickly scooted down the log onto the cool ground and grasped the girl by the shoulders shaking her lightly.

Green eyes opened to Hazel ones, both knowing that neither would peacefully rest that night. But that was ok, it would give them more time to talk.

More time to just be Rapunzel and Eugene.

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><p>AN#2: Please Review?


	3. Chapter 3

A/N#1: Here's chapter 3 and it's going to be split up in two parts, so their conversation does not exactly end where I left it. I just thought that was a good place for a chapter break. I hope you enjoy this chapter because honestly I had a lot of fun writing it, please tell me what you think in the form of a review please:)

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tangled" or the characters they belong to Disney.

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><p>"Rapunzel are you okay?" Eugene asked timidly as he removed his tanned hands from her tiny shoulders and sat back against the log beside her. Never had Flynn Rider been timid but Eugene was different, he could tell whatever the girl had dreamed about really scared her.<p>

Rapunzel's face had tiny beads of sweat sliding down her slightly flushed skin, her eyes reflected the light of the fire but Eugene could see the pain and fear within their confines. She shook slightly but picked up her tiny hands and picked one of his up in between them, Eugene welcomed the warmth slightly amazed at the difference in size.

Her breath was slowly returning to normal but that didn't keep her from nervously checking her surroundings, every sound registered in her mind and quickly she would wip her head in the direction it came from. Eugene sat watching her and not really knowing how to go about all this, he was glad though he could offer her a hand to hold.

"They hanged you..." Rapunzel looked down at the cool grass beneath her trying to regulate her breathing pattern. Eugene's honey colored eyes soon turned downcast until he realized something.

"Blondie how do you even know what being hanged is?" The question surprised the girl and she looked up at him with a slight fire in her eyes.  
>"Eugene I don't really think that's important at the moment," Her voice was low and quiet but he could see the hurt in her eyes, the young man realized that his question had been completely uncalled for at that exact moment per se. She was scared of losing him.<p>

"When I was in my tower I had three books and one of them was a story about a girl who ran away with a thief, they fell in love and just when they were about to pull the heist of a lifetime they were caught and the man was hanged, the girl escaped but she was alone...I never could finish the story," Eugene's face took on a concerned expression as a tear slid down the girl's pink cheek. Reaching out he gently used his free hand to wipe away the offensive tear, even Eugene was surprised with the tenderness he used.

"Blondie I'm Flynn Rider I would honestly like to see them even try to catch me," Her eyes turned to capture his and he could feel those stupid butterflies fluttering in his stomach, Flynn would be horrified at the feeling of love, but Eugene was just scared of it.

"You're not Flynn Rider to me, your Eugene Fitzherbert," Rapunzel looked down while her cheeks turned slightly pink and Eugene's ego soared at the fact he could make the girl blush without using his smolder. Looking at his hand in hers, she began to gently run her fingers along the smooth lines of his palm.

They sat there awhile, basking in the glow of the fire and quietly observing one another. Rapunzel though had a question.

"Eugene?" The quiet voice broke the man off from his train of thought.

"Yeah Rapunzel?"

"How did you know my name?" Eugene looked at Rapunzel strangely a second recalling the past three days and going back to the time they had first met.

"You told me your name when you blackmailed me into taking you to the lanterns," He said it slowly watching her face wondering if maybe she was going to develop some memory issues after going through so much in such a short time.

"Eugene...you thought I had sneezed!"

Now the young man was smiling remembering how Flynn had blown off her name and had even made fun of it, she thought he was actually being serious?  
>"Blondie I was kidding, just being my dashing self as usual," Rapunzel raised an eyebrow slightly at him, smoldering without even noticing.<p>

"Ah so you were making fun of me?"

The rogue just smirked at her and shrugged his shoulders slightly as she gave him an exasperated eyeroll and sighed.

"Eugene Fitzherbert you are one complicated person," The man gaped at her and wildly gestured at her with his hands, freeing the one from her grasp and regretting it every second her palm wasn't in his.

"Me? Blondie you have got this all turned around! I mean the first time you left your tower I thought you were going to go crazy!" Rapunzel giggled at the look of disbelief on his face and she just shrugged his shoulders at him.

"Maybe I was just being my dashing self..." Sighing deeply, Eugene just looked at the girl beside him with a fake stern expression.

"Rapunzel stealing other peoples excuses doesn't excuse your strange behavior," Rolling her eyes she just smirked at him, then pulling the ends of her now short hair.  
>Both sat there grinning at eachother for a minute, forgetting what had happened just a few hours prior and playfully bantering with each other.<p>

"Eugene?" Rapunzel smiled at the man as he turned to her and gave her a grin in return.

"Yes Blondie?"

"What's your favorite color?"

Eugene looked at the girl strangely, where did that come from? Why did she care what color he liked?

"Why?" Eugene asked suspiciously.

Rapunzel looked down at her hands and began to play with the ends of her purple dress. "Well since you and I are traveling together and now are friends, despite your protest a few days ago that we would part ways without accomplishing that, I just want to know what you like," The girl had mumbled that all quite quickly but Eugene caught every word finding the mumbling endearing and adorable.

Maybe he should tell her that they were so much more then friends? What if she went around kissing all the people of the town thinking that's what friends were suppose to do?

Oh boy he had a lot on his plate.

"Well...I guess it's blue but Blondie look..." She didn't look up from her hands which were still occupied with the ends of her dress.

"Mines purple, just so you know," Eugene watched as the lost princesses face showed a bit of pain before she cleverly hid it behind a fake smile.

"Rapunzel what's wrong?"

She sighed and reached up to play with the short ends of her hair, "Mother never really let my share my opinion, well I guess she just didn't really care whatever opinion I had. It's nice to share it with someone else." The answer had been so innocent, and the pain that was on her face every time she mentioned her mother made Eugene's heart break painfully. He didn't like it when she didn't smile.

"No one's ever really cared about my opinion either," She looked up at her companion who was reaching out to playfully ruffle the soft brown hair a top her head, "I'm glad you do."

Rapunzel giggled slightly and blushed, grabbing Eugene's hand from her head and holding it with her own.

"Blondie we're more than friends."

Again the young girl smiled at the man beside her, turning her body so that she was facing him yet still holding his hand within hers. Reaching out tentively, Rapunzel's free hand gently brushed the brown strands of hair away from Eugene's face and cupped his cheek tenderly before whispering, "I know."

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><p>AN#2: Please Review?


	4. Chapter 4

A/N#1: Here's the other part of the conversation by the fire, should I write another chapter while they talk some more or should I just skip ahead to the next morning? To be honest I don't know how long this story will go, like I have no idea where I will stop. But I would love to hear your opinion and get some suggestions:)

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tangled" or the characters, they belong to Disney.

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><p>"What about your favorite...food?" The mountains of questions he had been asked that night began to blend together as the young princess asked yet another one.<p>

"Uhm well, I don't really have one. I steal to eat so I guess whatever happens to be available," Rapunzel's green eyes shifted a bit to their hands, her's grasping his tightly as if making sure he was still there and that all this wasn't just a dream. Eugene could see the pain in her eyes when he said the word "steal".

"Mine's hazelnut soup," She stopped in the middle of the thought and her eyesbrows crinkled into the middle of her forehead, "Although I really liked that strawberry cupcake you got me yesterday, it was really delicious Eugene."

The statement almost came out like she was thanking him for the treat. Thinking back he realized that he had actually paid for that cupcake.

"Ahhh I see," Eugene smiled slightly at Rapunzel as she gently stroked her sleeping cameleon that was snoring in the grass,  
>completely oblivious to the conversation going on while he was unconscious.<p>

The night was still dark and Eugene assumed they still had a few hours until dawn though it seemed like neither of the two would be able to sleep.

Rapunzel's head shifted to the side and she hesitantly rested it against his shoulder, releasing his hand and wrapping her little fingers around his arm instead.

"I feel so exhausted but I can't bring myself to go to sleep," Her quiet voice shook a bit as she looked up at her companion a sad glint in her emerald eyes.

"Rapunzel you need to sleep, we have a big day ahead of us including convincing royal guards that we aren't trying to pull a fast one and convincing the king and queen that though you don't have blonde hair you just so happen to be their daughter, trust me Blondie you're going to need all the rest you can get," The girl laughed a little but grasped onto his arm just a little tighter.

Rapunzel herself still couldn't believe she was the lost princess, though everything added up she was terrified of what would happen if they didn't believe her.

"Eugene what if I can't convince them? What if they hang you?"

The man in question shifted slightly giving her a stern look, "Blondie we're not going to think about that, whatever happens happens and all I care about right now is returning you to your rightful parents," His voice held a touch of affection despite the slight edge.

"But Eugene I don't want to go home if I can't keep you with me! If you die then I'm going to be left with complete strangers!" The young girl was beginning to panic and her voice was starting to rise with every word she said, her grip getting even tighter on the man's arm.

Eugene quickly shook off her hands and placed his strong hands onto her shoulders, "Rapunzel breathe!"

The brunette ignored him as she kept mumbling, "You don't understand Eugene, I don't know anything about this world! You are the one who is suppose to teach me and if you die you won't be able to do that!" Rapunzel was suddenly silenced by the ex-rogues lips crashing against her's. She sat stunned for a second before wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"Blondie please calm down," Eugene murmured as he picked up the girl and sat her down gently in his lap, moving the strands of brown hair on her forhead from those vibrant green eyes. Tears were on the verge of spilling over and he shakily took one of his fingers and whiped the tiny teardrop off of her cheek.

"I'm sorry," She sighed as she buried her face into his neck and hugged him tightly. Eugene carefully wrapped his arms around her small frame and gave her a slight squeeze, still so unsure of how you were suppose to comfort someone this distraught. Eugene Fitzherbert though was getting better at it.

"Rapunzel you have nothing to be sorry for," She mumbled something into his shoulder and instead of questioning her about it, the young man just let her cry quietly as he held her. "Come on Blondie, you got anymore questions for me?"

The girl lifted her head slightly to look her companion in the eyes before giving a slight nod. Eugene smiled encouragingly down at her as she propped herself up a bit and brushing away the last of her tears.

"Your favorite type of dance?"

Eugene gave her a slight eyeroll and shook his head.

"Don't have one, like I said before I truly don't dance," Rapunzel sighed before playfully punching him lightly in the chest, her tiny fist barely fazing him.

"But Eugene you danced so wonderfully in the square the other day, I for one was shocked!" The girl giggled sightly at the pout on the man's face.

"What's that suppose to mean Blondie?"

Shrugging her shoulders slightly, the petite brunette stood up and stretched out her arms above her head.

"It's so nice to twirl without getting caught up in my hair!" Rapunzel began to spin around and jumping and dancing around the fire, running her plae fingers through her now dark spikey hair. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of freedom that came along with the haircut. The girl could now see that her hair had been like chains and now she was free from it, along with the tower, along with her fake mother.

Eugene watched from his spot on the ground, his smile became gentler with every spin and twirl she did. He had fallen hard. The young man though became aware of the look of delight on her face changing to a slight remorsed look.

"Hey princess why the long face?" The question came out playfully but underneath it all, Eugene was concerned. Rapunzel had been having mood swings all night and he was afraid that another round of crying was coming on.

"Nothing," Rapunzel murmured as she circled back around the fire and sat down next to her companion, fixing her purple dress so it convered her knees, protecting her from the slight chill in the air. "You know Eugene, I thought she loved me."

Eugene's eyes shut and rubbed them with the back of his tanned hand. He had been expecting this question and he was not looking forward to answer it.

"Well in some weird possesed way I think she loved you too..." But when he looked at Rapunzel's face he saw the slightly pained expression and decided that wasn't the way to go, "What I mean is that you have another Mother out there that doesn't even know you yet she loves you more then that woman ever could!"

The girl smiled a bit at that thought, thinking about the lanterns that her parents sent out every year just in hope that one day she would return home to them. Looking over at Eugene, Rapunzel saw the comforting look in his hazel eyes and she decided to be bold.

"Eugene what do you fear most?"

The man laughed slightly at the question as he watched Rapunzel's tiny hand sneak over to his and hold his fingers tightly within hers. "Blondie, Flynn Rider doesn't fear anything."

"Yes but does Eugene Fitzherbert?"

Shaking his head slightly, Eugene looked into the girl's deep emerald eyes and the butterflies returned to his stomach, yes Eugene Fitzherbert did fear something.

"Fine, can I ask you something else?"

"Sure Blondie."

"Do you love me?"

Eugene's eyes widened at the question and his heart began to hammer in his chest. He could feel the nervous sweat beginning to form when all he did was look at her and it all stopped. Never would he have thought he would fall in love with a girl in the matter of days, he never thought he would fall in love actually. But looking into those deep pools of green,  
>so hopeful for his answer, he couldn't resist the truth any longer.<p>

"Yeah Blondie and to be honest that's what I fear most," Rapunzel just smiled gently up at him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze in return.

"Looks like we have got a lot in common than ," He quirked his eyerbrow at her as she giggled softly, "Because I love you too Eugene and considering what happened to the last person I loved I'm absolutely terrfied."

Eugene looked down at her as she rearranged his arm so that she could tuck right under it, her head rested against his shoulder and she directed his hand and arm so she was practically cocooned next to him. Smiling he brushed a few strands out of her eyes and kissed her flushed cheek gently.

"Don't be scared Rapunzel because I'm not going anywhere."

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><p>AN#2: Please Review?


	5. Chapter 5

A/N#1: Whoa Chapter 5! Haha this is actually quite a long chapter and yes I know it seems liked I'm dragging things out, but the trust I see between Rapunzel and Eugene on the balcony had to get there somehow. I've always wondered what happened between the tower and the reunion and this is just my take on it, so please tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tangled" or its characters, they belong to Disney.

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><p>"Rapunzel..." A gentle voice whispered in her ear causing the dream she was having to cease. Slowly Rapunzel became aware of a pleasant warmth on her skin.<p>

"What?" She whispered back sleepily, cuddling closer to the man that was causing her to lose her beauty sleep.

"Well Blondie we kinda have a big day ahead of us, ya know dodging the guards and convincing a kingdom that your a princess,"  
>She just shook her head and held onto him tighter, not wanting to fully wake up after and exhausting day before.<p>

"They have waited eighteen years, a few more hours won't hurt a thing Eugene," Rapunzel became aware of a slight vibration as the ex-thief chuckled at her answer.

"That's not how it works princess, the earlier we get in, the easier it is for me to dodge the clueless citizens of Corona," Rapunzel's big green eyes popped open at that, she had forgotten that Eugene would need to sneak around, she had forgotten that the man beside her was the kingdom's most wanted criminal.

"Oh I'm sorry Eugene, okay we can go now!" Standing up, the princess let go of him and stretched a bit as the pain of sleeping on the ground caught up with her. Rapunzel stood up too fast though because the moment she was up she quickly fell down clutching her head.

"Whoa princess!" Eugene laughed slightly as he wrapped an arm around her tiny shoulders, smiling as the girl groaned softly because of the strange feeling in her head, "I just needed you to wake up we don't have to leave yet."

"Oh ok good because I was starting to feel guilty, ya know? Because for some reason I keep on forgetting that you are a criminal and that well I'm a princess and that this is going to be a very big day..." Rapunzel mumbled as she gently shook Pascal who was still snoring beside her and he opened his bleary brown eyes sleepily.

"Good morning, Blondie," Eugene smiled down at the girl, her mumbling finally ceasing as she placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning Eugene!" Again the young girl was smiling, her moods changing faster then he felt like he could keep up with,  
>but to be honest he wouldn't rather it be any other way.<p>

Eugene still couldn't believe the way he was thinking with all this sappy, lovey-dovey stuff. The way the brunette before him had changed him was almost impossible, he guessed now he knew what all those people said about true love, how nothing else matters.

Whoa true love? Did he really just think that? Could this girl, this princess, in front of him be his true love? No. No because Eugene knew she deserved better than him, she derserved a wealthy prince that could show her the world and guide her in ruling the kingdom.

Yet still a selfish part of him, the Flynn Rider part, grasped the girl's hand and gave it a slight squeeze never wanting to let go.

Oh boy he's been hanging out with Blondie too much now he was having mood swings.

"Ok so anyone have a plan?" Pulling Rapunzel up from the ground Eugene wrapped a strong arm around her waist while looking at his companions, a sleepy brunette, an agitated frog, and a horse who wished he was a dog.

The looks he got from everyone told him that no one had really thought this thing through.

"Well alright then since I'm the most wanted thief in the kingdom-" Max glared at Eugene as he quickly retaliated, "Ok since I was the most wanted thief in the kingdom, and the most handsome I might just add in there, I have become a master of disguises."

"Eugene?"

"Yeah Blondie?"

She looked up at him squinting her eyes and raising one of her eyebrows, "Please tell me you aren't going to get a fake mustache and just waltz into the kingdom pretending to be from a distant land."

Whoa. Eugene stared at her shocked for a moment, "Uh Blondie how did you know that?"

"Eugene, I don't know if anyone has ever told you this but you talk in your sleep."

Now that he thought back to it, the young man did remember himself having the dream last night that featured him sporting a mustache that actually made him look quite handsome. Well more so then he already was.

"Well do you have a better plan?" The girl pondered the question before shrugging her shoulders lightly and shaking off the arm around his waist to go pick up Pascal off the forest floor.

"How about we wing it?"

Staring at her incredulously, Eugene gestured at himself and then at a wanted poster that was on a tree a few feet away,"Yeah I don't think that's going to work."

"None of the posters in the kingdom even get your nose right as you told me so if people didn't recognize you yesterday why would they all of sudden know who you are today?" Rapunzel said this with a questioning tone in her voice, the people of Corona really were not the most observant people in the world.

"Because I just escaped jail! Rapunzel you don't understand the last time the villagers saw me yesterday I was on the back of a palace horse jumping from rooftop to rooftop," Rapunzel's face turned dubious at the thought of it, "No really I'm not joking we jumped from rooftop to rooftop."

The girl just rolled her eyes and looked down at Pascal, "What do you think we should do Pascal?" The little green reptile gave a "Squip" and Rapunzel nodded her head as if she completely understood what he was saying.

"Uhm Blondie I don't think..." Eugene was cut off when Pascal turned red and growled slightly at him, angry that the man had interrupted him. Eugene's hands flew up in his defense as he sat back down on the log waiting for the princess to finish the, what he thought, was a one sided conversation with a frog.

"Ok so what did the frog say?" Eugene was getting tired of listening to the little "Squips" coming out of the reptiles mouth. He had been watching the sun too as it rised steadily into sky, he assumed it was probably around nine in the morning, the time when everyone was opening up their shops and getting ready for a busy day, this little group really needed to move out.

"Well Pascal suggested that we leave you out here and make you rue the day that you called him a frog," The little chameleon glared at the man with his big brown eyes, "But I told him no can do."

Eugene just shook his head at the reptile as he smiled slightly at the way the princess had just mocked him, using the same words he had used when they first met.

"Looks like we are just going to have to wing it, well guys it was nice knowing you," The man said the last part in a joking manner but he could see the hurt that filled into Rapunzel's emerald eyes. Walking over to Max, she gently set her little green friend on top of the horses head.

"I don't know how I slept last night." Her voice wasn't anything more than a whisper as she looked down and busied herself with cleaning off her purple dress, trying to avoid the hazel eyes she knew were trying to capture her's,"After we talked I just remember getting sleepy, I don't think I had any dreams which is strange because everytime I look at you all I can see is you on the ground in pain because of me."

Tears began to fall to the ground as she stopped messing with her dress and stroked the back of her head, tiny fingers coming in contact with the spikey ends that were so new now,"I just don't understand how you can joke and be so happy, and look at me when you might have to face death again." Rapunzel's hands shook slightly as she put her face in her hands," Because of me."

This whole time Eugene had been frozen, not knowing what to do or say to make her see that he didn't mind dying for her,  
>even if it meant they could never be together. The young man though became aware of the horse standing behind Rapunzel giving him a look that said, "Come over here and comfort her or I will make sure you hang."<p>

Taking careful steps, Eugene walked over to the shaking girl, her head still in her hands with tears slipping between her fingers. His arms moved to their own accord as he crushed her as gently as he could against his chest. She tried in vain to push him away but that only made him hold on tighter.

"Rapunzel listen to me," Eugene grabbed her chin and gently coaxed it up so that he could see those big green eyes of hers, the tears that fell down her cheeks only added to the pain that he was already feeling at seeing her so upset. "Remember what you asked me last night?"

Rapunzel sniffled slightly, shaking her head making the little brown hairs bounce," I asked you a lot of questions Eugene."

The young man smiled as he squeezed her a little tighter, "Oh trust me I know, I don't think anyone has ever asked me so many questions not even the King and Queen when they..." The tears began to well up again and he realized he was saying all the wrong things. "That's not the point, anyway do you remember the last question you asked me before you fell asleep?"

The girl nodded and brought her hand up to cup his cheek, "I asked if you loved me."

"Do you remember my answer?"

Rapunzel smiled, though still sniffling he could tell that his answer last night still brought her joy.

"Well when you love someone, you would do anything for them, the ultimate thing being dying," She closed her eyes tightly when he said that one word, looking like it caused her pain, but he once again grasped her chin and made her look up at him,"Rapunzel I would die a thousand times over if it meant you would get your happy ending." Eugene said it with such confidence in his voice that the girl couldn't hold it in anymore and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him even tighter then before, almost constricting his airway.

"But Eugene that's the point! I don't want you to die for me! You deserve to be happy too!" The girl sobbed into his blue vest, grasping his neck and getting as close to him as she could, keeping him here with her. "Maybe we should just run away,  
>forget all about this princess nonsense and just go and be Rapunzel and Eugene, yeah we should just do that."<p>

Eugene had barely registered what she had said when she was skipping over to Max and telling him her plan, "How does that sound Max, let's all just go rogue and forget this ever happened and travel for well, the rest of our lives! Yeah and go to all those places that Eugene and I saw in that atlas we read yesterday, yes that's what we will do." Rapunzel was still chattering away as Eugene came up behind her grasping his shoulders in his tanned hands and turning her to face him.

"Rapunzel?"

"Yes Eugene?"

"You can't run away from your problems forever, trust me, I would know that." The girl's face fell slightly as she looked down at his brown boots and began to play with her hair nervously. Sighing she turned back around, pretending to play with the saddle when really she was concealing the hurt on her face.

"I know."

Eugene shrugged as he went up to Max's head and gently patted his snout, "Do you remember what I was saying when I was pointing to all those places on the map?"

Rapunzel shook her head and let go of one of the buckles she had been fiddling with, "No I'm sorry I don't."

Eugene laughed and looked down at Max raising his eyebrows, "They have much better artist in the other kingdoms, and much more observant people!'

Rapunzel laughed slightly as Max nudged Eugene and he tripped over the log and fell flat onto the ground. "Hey! I thought we were companions now Max!" The horse just rolled his eyes and ignored the man sitting on the ground.

Walking over to him, Rapunzel extended her hand to help the man up but when she grasped his hand in hers he quickly pulled her down,  
>cleverly situating her in his lap. She looked at him shocked. "I know...I'm good." The self satisfied smirk on his face made it hard for her to stay mad at him.<p>

"Well I do believe I have fallen for you," Eugene's smiled became more pronounced as Rapunzel was once again began to smile mischieviously, "Quite literally too."

Touching her cheek gently, the man smiled down at her as she blushed and attempted to hide her face,"Anything to make the princess smile."

Rapunzel smiled, her hand still grasping his as she lifted it up and placed them palm to palm, looking at how much smaller her's were then his and giggling when she realized their hands fit together perfectly, "Princess huh?"

Eugene nodded giving her one of his rare serious looks as he shifted, helping her get up and then standing up hinself still holding tightly to her hand, "Yes princess, no matter how far you run away, you can't run away from what you are." The last part was said a bit darkly, but he figured Rapunzel wouldn't catch it.

Oh but she did and she turned so that she could brush the side of his face with their joined hands, "Yes you can because your not poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert."

He looked down at her, smiling at the sight of their joined hands and quirking one of his eyebrows," Then who am I?"

Rapunzel giggled as she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging the man tightly,"Your mine,  
>Eugene Fitzherbert."<p>

As they stood there and Eugene wrapped his arms around the petite princess hugging him, he realized that she was right, he was hers.

He had fallen bad.

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><p>AN#2: Please...Review?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N#1: I'm not proud of this chapter, but here you go. Oh and yes there will be another chapter.

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><p>They had done it, he didn't know how but he was standing on a balcony waiting for the King and Queen with the lost princess's hand in his.<p>

Thinking back to the morning he had to chuckle at the memory of them marching in on horseback to the town square only to be stopped by guards, multiple guards. They had pulled him down from Maximus and were all fighting over him so that they could turn him into the King and Queen.

Rapunzel had been stunned at first but she had quickly sprung into action after Eugene had been pulled from the horse. Jumping down from the saddle, her little hands balled into fist as she tried with little progress to quiet the men down.

"I demand you put him down!" The lost princess along with the guards all had shocked looks on their faces at the words that had come from the girl's mouth. The captain who had just rode in on the back of a chestnut stead merely sneered at the girl.

"Who are you to tell us what to do little lady?" Rapunzel's face contorted in anger as she walked over to where the captain has dismounted his horse. Putting her hands on her hips, the girl glared at the man.

"I happen to be the lost princess and that man happens to be my rescuer," The Captain of the Guard shook his head and rolled his eyes at the statement, like he hadn't heard that before.

"I'm sorry miss but the princess happens to have blonde hair, something your companion over their must of forgotten to inform you of before he paid you to come and pretend to be the princess," Eugene who was being held back by the other guards, finally broke free of their grasp and before any of them could register what was happening he had the captain by the collar.

"You can throw me in the dungeon but this girl is the lost princess, she is not lying and I did not pay her to come her and I'm sure her parents will be thrilled when they hear how you have been treating her," The guards rushed over to Eugene and grabbed a hold of his arms, pulling him away from the captain as he glared at the lowly criminal.

Maximus had seen enough, with that he stepped into the middle of the guards and looked his captain in the eyes.

"Maximus?" The man was shocked that his horse would ever sink so low as to helping a criminal, Maximus had been trained to be loyal to the kingdom of Corona and had also been trained to catch a certain thief.

The horse merely nodded his head, standing proudly under the morning sun and coming up behind the short brunette who by now was weeping softly as she watched Eugene try to break away. Nudging her with his nose, Maximus pushed Rapunzel forward slightly to the Captain and gave him a dubious look.

Taking his gaze from his horse, the man really looked at the girl in front of him. Something was eerily familiar about her features as he took each one in, the freckled nose, the big emerald green eyes that could put even a jewel to shame, a pair of pouty lips, and a sense of loneliness in her eyes that he had seen before. This girl, well she looked exactly like their Queen.

"Men, I think she's telling the truth," By now all of the men had seen the resemblence between the girl in front of them and their loving Queen, each man's eyes went wide and their jaws dropped open as if they couldn't believe it to be true. She didn't have blonde hair, but none of them could deny that she was the lost princess.

"Gary go find the King and Queen, Matthew lead the girl to the lantern balcony," The Captain's orders came out quickly as two blonde haired men stepped out from the group, both leaving to perform their certain task. Matthew timidly walked up to the new found princess and gestured to a path that led to a big iron wrought gate that held her rightful home.

"Sir, what about Rider?" One of the guards asked as Eugene yet again pulled his arms free, only to have them pinned behind him before he could act.

"Take him to the dungeons, he seemed to have missed his trip to the gallows," Rapunzel's face became shocked as the men began to carry her rescuer off in a completely different directions then she was going. Now was her chance to act, and if they didn't listen she would end up having to choose her path.

"No!" The girl screamed as she ran over to the guards and grabbed onto Eugene, hugging him with all the strength she had.

By now, the people of Corona were watching the strange display in the square. The mornings in the village were always boring but today was one of those rare days when they believed something exciting may take place.

"I won't let you take him away from me! He rescued me and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here right now!" The girl yelled at the men who all had looks of shock on their faces at the fact the lost princesses cared about the well being of a criminal.

Eugene had been quiet up to this point, his heart nearly breaking at the sight of Rapunzel clinging onto him and tears pouring out of her eyes as that grip of hers got tighter by the minute. Reaching up, the man gently ran a hand through her hair as she whimpered as if the thought of him never doing that again hurt her.

"Please, take me with her and I promise that after I give her to the King and Queen they can decide my fate," The pleading look in Eugene's eyes and the tone of voice had all the guards looking at him with strange expressions. Here was the man that for all these years they had tried to capture and to outsmart and he was actually looking guilty for what he had done, knowing that he didn't even deserve to be in the presence of the King and Queen.

The Captain merely shook his head and put his fingers to his temple, all of a sudden a huge headache was coming on and he though he knew the cause of it. "Fine, take Rider and the girl up to the balcony." With that the man hopped back on his horse and rode down the cobblestone street, ready to get on with the day.

Now their they stood, hand in hand, on the balcony that the King and Queen sent a lantern out every year hoping that their lost princess would return. Eugene smiled down at Rapunzel as he examined the little crease in her brow.

"You excited?"

Rapunzel looked up at him, the crease still on her forehead and her green eyes holding an anxiousness that one could only feel when meeting your parents for the first time.

"I don't know Eugene, what if they don't like me?"

The question was asked so innocently that the man had to smirk, she actually thought someone could not like her.

"Blondie, their going to love you, what's not to love? You can paint better then all the artist in this kingdom and you can knock more people out with a frying pan than anyone else I know and you caught the kingdom's most wanted thief, that's an impressive background princess," Rapunzel let out a frusterated sigh as she place her small pale hands on the stone rail in front of them.

"That's not what I mean Eugene, I mean as a person, as just Rapunzel, what if they don't like the fact that I mumble, what if they don't like how happy I always seem to be, what if they find me annoying? Then what Eugene?" The girl put her face in her hands, beginning to cry. Moving her fingers slightly she felt the choppy ends of her brown hairdo. "What if they don't like that I have brown hair now?"

Eugene winced a bit at the mention of her haircut, he had been dying but looking at it now he realized that he should have cut it more carefully. Reaching a hand out, the ex-thief placed a firm hand on Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Blondie, you have absolutely nothing to worry about." With that he wrapped the small girl in a strong embrace, smiling that she fit so well within his arms, almost like it was all meant to be. She continued to sniffle, but he felt those thin arms of hers snake around his waist.

"Eugene I want you to know that if my parents decide to hang you, I'm breaking you out of jail," Despite the dark topic,  
>Eugene smiled as he lifted one of his tanned hands and ruffled the girl's hair lovingly.<p>

"I'm counting on that," They let go of eachother, and instead joined hands, smiling at the person who they hoped would forever remain by their side.

Turning out to the kingdom that would someday be under the control of the girl next to him, Eugene began to point out some of the things he hadn't had the chance to show her when they had been in town days ago.

"That's the bakery over there, they don't sell cupcakes but they do sell bread and let me tell you it's good, although you should pay for it because the owner caught me stealing a loaf once and he threw a knife at me! A knife in a bakery, who knew right?"

Rapunzel giggled slightly looking to where Eugene was pointing and rolling her eyes at the adventure he had just described, what a strange man she had found. But they made a perfect match.

"There's the art shop, and let me tell you Blondie it is so much better then the one we visited the other day, paints are all over the store in every color that you can imagine and they have big sets of chalk with all kinds of colors," The mention of colors made Rapunzel realize she had left Pascal and her belongings with Max, who after they had been excorted to the balcony had been sent to the royal stables on the other side of the ground. Rapunzel suddenly felt lonely without her little green companion.

The sun crept higher in the sky and Rapunzel realized this must be a huge castle if the guard was having that much trouble finding the King and Queen. Both soon became quiet, as they watched life bustling on in the village below them, both fearing of what may come by the end of the day.

Hands joined together, the two both glanced down at their fingers and then smiled up at eachother. They would never have to face anything alone.

Then the doors opened and what happened next was absolutely stupendous.

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><p>AN#2: Review?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N#1: The last chapter! Well actually I'm thinking about writing an epilogue and just maybe(seriously maybe)I might write on a little more to this. I would though like you to leave a review just so I know what you have thought of this story, and also I apologize in advanced for the short chapter. I hope you enjoy this and keep your eyes out for either more chapters or an epilogue.

Disclaimer: I don't own "Tangled" or it's characters, they belong to Disney.

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><p>It was like looking into a mirror, or atleast like seeing double. The Queen stood still in absolute shock as she took in the appearance of the girl standing in front of her.<p>

She was a petite, quite thin young woman with big expressive emerald eyes, shaped and colored like those of the Queen's. Her hair was not the golden hue they were expecting and instead it was a deep chocolate brown like that of her parent's, the haircut was also a strange choice, short and uneven as if it hadn't even been cut by scissors much less a stylist.

But taking in the girl's facial features the Queen had trouble denying that this young woman standing in front of her, in a less than royal purple dress and barefeet covered in dirt, was not her daughter.

Their facial structures were eerily alike and so was their coloring,  
>pale with pink rosy cheeks. Both women held the same expression on their face as they gazed at eachother.<p>

Deciding she wanted a closer look, but scared of being wrong, the Queen tentively began to walk down the steps as the girl in an trance mirrored her same movements, both nervous and timid as they got closer and closer to eachother.

The monarch gazed into the big green eyes that stared back at her everytime she looked at her reflection, raising a hand slowly the Queen cupped the girl's cheek in her palm.

This was her daughter, their was no denying it. Though this girl had brown hair that looked nothing like her previous locks, no one could deny the resemblance that stared straight back at them.

The Queen let out a slight gasp as she tried to hold back the tears that had threatened to slip out over the years. Always being the strong one, she had held back most of her emotions due to her husband's pain at losing their child, always comforting him and reassuring him of their future, that the princess that they once had would soon be home again.

She was here, and the girl's eyes swam with tears as she realized the look in her true mother's eyes. The love that Gothel had always denied her, not a possesive love but a genuine one.

Quickly, the Queen grabbed a hold of Rapunzel and hugged her as tightly as she could, afraid to let go and her disappear. Affectionately,  
>her Mother gently ran her hand through the choppy brown locks on the back of her head, not greedily like her mother had but almost in a way that said "I knew you would come back home."<p>

Rapunzel became aware of another presense though, that of the King who stood behind his wife still in shock with tears filling his clear blue eyes. The young woman raised her eyes to his and he let out a chuckle when he saw how much she truly did look like her mother.

Both Rapunzel and the Queen were engulfed in hug as the King wrapped his strong arms around the two women he loved more then anything in the world. The reunited family sunk to the ground but far too emotional to care they continued to hug.

Rapunzel closed her eyes and smiled, the feeling of being protected and being safe no longer felt like it was holding her back. The tower for so long had been her shelter, where she found her safety, but now in the arms of her parents who would do anything for her she realized this world wasn't something she needed to fear but to embrace.

Eugene stood off to the side, he wanted to be jealous of the girl who had just found her parents but he couldn't bring himself to envy this now found princess who in the past days had gone through more then he had in a lifetime. If anyone in the world deserved a loving family, it was Rapunzel.

The ex-thief had a gentle smile on his face and a look in his eyes that the Queen could place anywhere. When the guard had told them that Flynn Rider brought back the girl, both worried that this would be a huge let down and that he would just try getting a reward.

But seeing the loving smile on his face as he gazed at the girl in their arms, the Queen realized that this was a completely different man then the one who had been coming before them in trials after trials all these years. No matter what the monarchs would make sure this man recieved a rightful pardon.

Their was something else on the rogue's face that the Queen had seen before, a secret longing. She knew his files well, after seeing him so much in court and she knew he had been an orphan as a child.

Without hesitation the kind woman held out a hand to Eugene, with all intentions of letting him join the family hug. The man,  
>thinking that she was going to shake his hand as a think, grasped her thin fingers within his. With a pull, the ex-thief soon recognized where Rapunzel got her strength as he was encased in the loving hug.<p>

Wrapping his muscular arms around the tiny princess sitting in front of him, he laid his head against her's their brown hairs mingling. Rapunzel turned her face slightly so that she could see his and the both of them shared a private smile.

No longer scared of the future, Rapunzel and Eugene just enjoyed the moment.

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><p>AN#2: Thoughts?


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